CTAM Hall of Fame

7/21/2006 8:00 PM Eastern

By: By Staff

Cox: Your Friend in the Digital Age

When Cox Communications Inc. decided to harness the power of its network to deliver multiple digital services in the early 1990s, the company knew it would have to build on customer trust, loyalty and satisfaction.

As a founder of Cable in the Classroom, Cox aggressively wired schools and provided complementary service. It tied senior managers’ compensation to customer satisfaction. The “Quality You Can Count On” brand campaign underscored a strategy of coupling high-quality technology with reliable service.

Cox has been honored with multiple customer-satisfaction accolades by J.D. Power & Associates. The operator further solidified its commitment to the brand in 2005 with the introduction of Digital Max — an icon that would personify what it means to be a friend to customers, representing its promise in a tangible way.

C-SPAN: School Bus

C-SPAN kicked off its School Bus campaign in 1993 as a public service and education message vehicle. A second bus was added in 1996 to meet the growing affiliate demand.

In 12 years, the C-SPAN School Bus program has made over 3,200 stops in over 1,600 communities and cable systems, all 50 states, and every state capital.

The bus visits schools, political events and affiliate events. Over 550,000 students, 21,000 teachers and countless viewers have climbed aboard a C-SPAN school bus to learn about the networks and the cable industry’s support of the network’s public affairs mission.

The buses are 45-foot-long mobile TV production studios and media demonstration centers. They’re a grassroots marketing tool that local affiliates can use to promote their brands and educational efforts.

Launch of Hallmark Channel

Hallmark Channel was born in August of 2001, when Crown Media Holdings Inc., a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards Inc., acquired Odyssey Network and rebranded it as Hallmark Channel.

The network decided to focus on offering up great stories that stuck with viewers. The key: The tone and manner had to be surprising, not emotional.

The network created a four-week media plan: image-building television for the first two weeks, tune-in for the second two.

In addition to national and spot television and national print, Hallmark Channel used spot radio and out-of-home heavily in influential markets. Hallmark Channel spent a total of $13 million in four weeks.

Within a year, Hallmark Channel became cable’s fastest-growing network. Within four years, propelled by original movies with powerful stories, the channel rocketed into the top 10 cable networks for total day and is often a top 10 primetime household ratings performer.

HGTV Dream Home Giveaway

The “HGTV Dream Home Giveaway” is the network’s cornerstone promotion. Each year, Home & Garden Television works with award-winning architects, designers, landscapers and sponsors to build a home that is truly a dream.

Now in its 10th year, the promotion’s success is proven through brand-building buzz and the number of entries, which continues to grow year after year, rising by 37.9 million between 1997 and 2005.

Growing consumer interest in the sweepstakes prompted the creation of “Dream Home Central,” a permanent feature on HGTV.com. HGTV’s media campaign launches annually in December. The winner is selected in March with a televised ambush. In April, HGTV culminated the campaign with a live special.

Sweepstakes spots begin airing Jan. 1 and run through Feb. 15 on all Scripps Networks. Print ads run in several national publications, and were inserted into 17 E.W. Scripps Co.-owned newspapers.

Turner Classic Movies — 31 Days of Oscar

Turner Classic Movies launched in 1994 with the world’s largest and most celebrated film library. But it needed a hook to increase viewers, fuel distribution and gain press coverage.

By packaging more than 300 award-winning and nominated films with Oscar themed documentaries, rare interviews and dynamic packaging, 31 Days of Oscar was born.

The month-long promotion, held each March, is entering its 12th year.

The creative strategy has always been to present 31 Days of Oscar in an elegant, stylish manner. Over time, the packaging and promotions have become more modern, employing bolder images and more energetic music.

Since the launch of the annual campaign, TCM’s distribution has grown to more than 72 million U.S. homes and over 40 countries.

2005 Hall of Fame Screening Committee

Marva A. Smalls, Chair, Executive Vice President Public Affairs and Chief of Staff, MTV Networks Kids and Family GroupRobert B. Clasen, President and CEO, Starz Entertainment Group LLCRich Cronin, President and CEO, GSN, the Network for Games Joe Rooney, SVP Marketing, Cox Communications Inc.Steven Schiffman, EVP of Marketing & Digital Media, National Geographic ChannelMark Tomizawa, President and CEO, SMASH Advertising